The Edition: Starmer at sea, Iran on the brink & the importance of shame

14 snips

Jun 19, 2025

Guest

Tim Shipman, new political editor of The Spectator, shares insights into Keir Starmer's troubled foreign affairs stance amidst rising tensions with Iran. Freddy Gray discusses Trump’s controversial foreign policy and its implications for global peace. Michael Stephens delves into the complexities of potentially toppling Iran’s regime, questioning its feasibility and historical precedents. Stuart Jeffries brings an intriguing perspective on the role of shame in society, exploring its dual nature as both a societal burden and a trigger for self-reflection.

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INSIGHT

Starmer's Dilemma on Iran Military Support

If the US strikes Iran, Britain will likely face pressure to provide military support.
Starmer is expected to avoid joining any military coalition due to domestic party challenges.

INSIGHT

Iran War's Economic Ripple Effects

The UK-US trade deal is better than none but worsened compared to earlier terms.
War with Iran would spike oil prices, hurting UK's economy and supporting Putin’s Ukraine war funding.

INSIGHT

Regime Change in Iran: Unlikely & Risky

Regime change in Iran is unlikely and may be unrealistic as a policy goal.
Historical Western interventions caution that toppling regimes can lead to worse chaos and instability.

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Starmer’s war zone: the Prime Minister’s perilous position

This week, our new political editor Tim Shipman takes the helm and, in his cover piece, examines how Keir Starmer can no longer find political refuge in foreign affairs. After a period of globe-trotting in which the Prime Minister was dubbed ‘never-here Keir’, Starmer’s handling of international matters had largely been seen as a strength. But as tensions escalate in the Iran–Israel conflict, global events are beginning to create serious challenges. They threaten not only to derail the government’s economic plans but also to deepen divisions within the Labour party, particularly between the leadership and much of the parliamentary party. Tim joined the podcast alongside The Spectator US editor Freddy Gray. (02:08)

Next: is it a mistake to try and topple Iran’s Supreme Leader?

Justin Marozzi asks if we are seeing ‘an ominous mission creep in Israel’s blistering attack on Iran’. Donald Trump has been calling for the ‘UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER’ of Iran, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been directly addressing the Iranian people. The regime may be unpopular, but how realistic is the expectation of regime change? Marozzi joined the podcast alongside Michael Stephens, a Middle East expert at the defence and security thinktank Rusi. (19:07)

And finally: should we embrace feeling shame?

Stuart Jeffries reviews a new book by the French philosopher Frédéric Gros in the books section of the magazine this week. A Philosophy of Shame: A Revolutionary Emotion argues that shame should be embraced, rather than avoided. So, in an era of ‘cancel culture’ and public shaming – not to mention some of the shamelessness exhibited by social media influencers – can ‘shame’ be a good thing? Stuart joined the podcast to discuss. (34:31)

Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.

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